Beer, Wine, Whiskey, Cigars, and Cigarettes Are Not on the DEA's List of Controlled Substances. Neither Should Cannabis Be

The Drug Enforcement Administration announced today that it intends to reschedule cannabis as Schedule III on its schedule of controlled substances. For the past half- century, the DEA classified cannabis as Schedule I: "No currently accepted medical use and high potential for abuse." Of course, no serious person would argue that cannabis has "no currently accepted medical use." As far back as 1916, Sir William Osler, the so- called "father of modern medicine," recommended cannabis as the "drug of choice" for treating migraines. But cannabis's history of "accepted medical use" dates back to at least 2800 B.C. President Biden had asked the Department of Health and Human Services to review cannabis classification in 2022, and last summer HHS recommended that the DEA reclassify cannabis to Schedule III: "Drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence."